Bill Text: NJ A3288 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Increases fine for student truancy and requires truant student to attend court-ordered truancy counseling program or other appropriate program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-09-27 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [A3288 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A3288-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman REED GUSCIORA
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblyman RUBEN J. RAMOS, JR.
District 33 (Hudson)
Assemblywoman L. GRACE SPENCER
District 29 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Increases fine for student truancy and requires truant student to attend court-ordered truancy counseling program or other appropriate program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning student truancy, amending N.J.S.18A:38-31, and supplementing Title 2A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the court shall order a juvenile who is subject to the compulsory education provision of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes and who has demonstrated a pattern of repeated unauthorized absences from school to attend a truancy counseling program or other appropriate program, as determined by the court.
2. N.J.S.18A:38-31 is amended to read as follows:
18A:38-31. A parent, guardian or other person having charge and control of a child between the ages of 6 and 16 years, who shall fail to comply with any of the provisions of this article relating to his duties, shall be deemed to be a disorderly person and shall be subject to a fine of not more than [$25.00 for a first offense and not more than $100.00 for each subsequent offense] $250 for each offense , in the discretion of the court.
In any such proceeding, the summons issuing therein, or in special circumstances a warrant, shall be directed to the alleged disorderly person and the child.
(cf: P.L.1980, c.153, s.1)
3. This act shall take effect on the 180th day after the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that a parent or guardian of a truant student be subject to a fine of not more than $250 for each offense, at the discretion of the court. Under current law, a parent or guardian of a truant student may be fined, at the discretion of the court, not more than $25 for a first offense and not more than $100 for each subsequent offense.
The bill also provides that the court must order a truant student, who has demonstrated a pattern of repeated unauthorized absences from school, to attend a truancy counseling program or other appropriate counseling program, as determined by the court. Under current law, courts are permitted but not required to order truant students to participate in such programs or services.
